A moderated model of the relationship between consumers’ need for uniqueness and purchase intention of luxury fashion brands

Abstract This paper investigates how consumers’ need for uniqueness—comprising avoidance of similarity, unpopular choice, and creative choice—influences their purchase intentions for fashion clothing brands. It further examines the moderating role of consumers’ need for affiliation on these purchase intentions. A convenience sampling method was employed to select participants. Survey questionnaires were administered via mall intercept to actual and potential buyers of luxury fashion brands in major shopping malls across two Palestinian cities (West Bank). From 480 administered questionnaires, 468 usable responses were collected. The data were subsequently analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM). All hypotheses were supported. The study found that consumers’ need for uniqueness positively influences purchase intentions. Furthermore, it was determined that consumers’ need for affiliation moderates the influence of consumers’ need for uniqueness on purchase intentions for luxury fashion brands. While extensive prior research has examined the role of consumers’ need for uniqueness in purchase intentions, this study addresses a significant gap by empirically investigating how this relationship may be moderated by consumers’ need for affiliation. Theoretically and empirically, this research demonstrates that consumers’ purchase intention for luxury fashion brands is contingent on their need for affiliation reflecting their cultural specificity.